State health officials order smallpox vaccine

The Nevada State Health Division has ordered 1,500 doses of smallpox vaccine from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials announced Thursday.

The state will begin the first phase of a smallpox vaccination plan at the end of this month, when vaccinators for the Statewide Smallpox Response Team will receive their vaccination training. Team members will be vaccinated in April, according to the department.

Under the plan, members of public health response teams will be vaccinated so they can respond to an outbreak without risk of contracting the disease.

State health officials and the CDC are not recommending vaccination of the general public.

If a smallpox outbreak should occur, those vaccinated during the first phase of the program would respond by either providing vaccine, investigating potential cases or providing care to those infected.

The second phase of the plan, which has not been scheduled by federal authorities, is expected to include offering the vaccine to other health care providers and those who are most likely to respond to emergencies, the release said.

Those who receive the vaccine will be monitored closely for any adverse reactions.